parkhigh

Hi all
I'm now a citizen and have been living here for 9 years but my friends who are staying on our property are currently on a 457 visa as a jockey. His partner is on a defacto visa under 457.
He arrived in Australia in 2011 on a working holiday visa for 2 years and then has been on a 457 visa for the past year.
He is wanting to know the requirements for applying for permanent residency. His partner is currently pregnant and they are expecting their first child in July.
His boss is quite difficult and he is currently tied to him until 2017 on the 457 visa and would like to know what options if any he has, to enable him to look for alternative employment in the same industry.
His employer is currently making him pay for the 457 visa and pays considerably low wages and very long hours almost double what he is paid for and uses the visa as leverage.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to where we can go without exorbitant costs? or is it a case of buckling down and riding it out?
Cheers Irene

Amazulu

If he is eligible, he can apply for PR on his own and does not need his bosses approval or to let him know

I don't know if jockey is on the skills list

Beoz

The idea behind the 457 is that his boss needs him as his skills are in demand and therefore he should be getting a good salary.

Sounds like the spirit of the 457 is not being adhered to by both your friend and his boss.

If the residency thing doesn't work, might be time to see if another employer requires the skills. After all his skills are rare locally?

Bermudashorts

Skilled migration is how many people get their PR visa. I somehow doubt that this will be an option though as I can't imagine that any state will be willing to sponsor a jockey. I have not looked today, but I doubt even more that this is an occupation that can be used for an unsponsored skilled migrant visa.

So that leaves him back to employer sponsorship, if he can find a new willing employer he could ask them to take over his 457 visa. Still not PR but he might find more favourable working conditions. Employers can sponsor for permanent visas too, but it can be hard to pushed one to do that from the off, also I am not sure what a jockey skills assessment would be, something that would be required for permanent employer sponsored.

To be honest, in view of the conditions and what you have said, in his shoes, I would seriously be thinking of leaving.

parkhigh

Yes its very difficult. I have clarified he is registered as a horse racing trainers assistant. Living in the Mornington Peninsula horses are big down here.
they want to stay here so wont go back to the UK. He has been approached by several other employers but doesn't want to let his current one know in case there's further problems.